Trying to get some insurance quotes… It used to be so easy to call an agent and get a quote over the phone in seconds really. And then came the convenience to get a comparison of rates online… Still easy and straight forward in the early days.

But now I find myself being stripped naked virtually… I have to give my full name, full address, phone, email, date of birth, driver license and social security just to get someone to call me back. And the questions don’t stop there before I even get a quote!

To have to give all this information to every person I call to get a quote while I am shopping for a good rate and good service is alarming. Not to say annoying when I am subsequently bombarded with texts, calls and emails from even more sales people in the days and weeks that follow my inquiry.

But… Where is my right to privacy and safety and security? I do not want to give all this information to anyone until I decide to buy insurance and even then I should be able to protect at least my social security number.

We hear about identity theft all the time and here I am forced to give up all my personal information just to get a quote! And worse, whoever gets hold of my SSN has power over my credit report – yes, any inquiry against the SSN is recorded and weighs in on my credit score – and over my credibility and value and buying power.

I like progress and development and easier access to what I need… But in the age of cell phones and internet and the myriad if hackers, rhieves, scammers and other crooks, I draw a line at who I am allowing in. Just because I give someone my number I do not invite a myriad of texts or phone calls from hundreds sales and call centers. I expect only that one person to call me back…

I find it increasingly unpleasant to own a cell phone and use the internet.

I love the cooler weather and the changing colors of nature all around. The farming season is done with my last delivery gone out this past Thursday. And now comes the ckean up. Putting the harvest shed back in order, tucking away deer fences and seeding supplies, clearing the greenhouses and tying up loose ends…

I am still waiting for my pumpkins to change color… With the lack of sun and recent cooler weather they are lagging a bit behind… So are my green beans, and there are still a few eggplant and peppers and watermelons limping along, too.

I had hoped for a fall delivery for Thanksgiving, planned on raising turkeys and putting together a harvest meal in a box, but I am glad I decided not to. Once the season got rolling, there was little wiggle room to fit any more work into the days. And now I am grateful to be done with the tight schedule and the long drive for the deliveries every week.

It is time to slow down, breathe, put my feet up and enjoy life a little more, ponder what might come next. I am looking forward to finding a farm to call my own, to still grow vegetables and flowers, if not for a second CSA season, then for a farmers market or just a farm stand in the driveway… And to realize some of my ambitions to raise more animals… Like a cow or rwo for milking, sheep or goats and a few turkeys… I have a dream!

And I finally have the time to work on some artsy projects, some of which I intend to sell at the upcoming art fair and christmas boutique.